Manitoba Cree call for confederation

Page 2

The time has come for all the Crees of North America to join and work together as confederates, said Opaskwayak Cree Nation general manager, Jim Smith, on announcing a conference to the end.

Smith is hoping The Gathering, planned for July 18 to 24 and hosted in Opaskwayak, will set the stage for the development of a Cree Confederacy. This confederacy will be instrumental in advancing the assortment of causes of Cree people in North America, he said.

This would be an association, of sorts, said Smith. The confederacy would promote the good of the membership, revive and promote Cree culture, and act as an advocate for member nations in their negotiations with federal governments.

There are approximately 500 different bands which are Cree, and an invitation to attend the Gathering goes out to all, from Labrador to B.C. and into the United States, Smith said. He is hoping to have at lest 250 of the individual Cree bands represented at the July meeting. "It has become increasingly evident that the Cree must act accordingly to provide better protection for our sovereign way of life, including our inherent rights to self-governing," quotes a mission statement developed by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation for the event. A more likely way to ensure the Cree nations' interests are protected is with a United Cree Voice, continues the statement.

The Gathering includes a powwow on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and political meetings of the chiefs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On the lighter side, a $50,000 Monster Bingo has also been planned.